Lighting fixture



Nov. 24, 1925. 1,562,466

T. J. NELSON LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 22, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 24, 1925- 1,562,466

T. J. NELSON LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Nov. 22, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE J. NELSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO COLONIAL LAMP & FIX- TUBE WORKS, INC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A. CORPORATION OF. ILLINOIS.

LIGHTING FIXTURE.

Application filed November 22, 1919.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE J. NELSON, a subject oi the King of Sweden, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State oi Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lighting Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference more particularly to a small portable lighting fixture of a type similar to that shown in my copending application Serial No. 389,294: which is adapted to be supported in various difierent ways so as to afford a convenient fixture of general utility. In the present interior lighting systems it is customary to install electric fixtures in permanent locations, or provide fioor or table lamps which, although portable, are not adapted for adjustable mounting, or convenient for general use in various places where one may desire to have a lamp temporarily. A number of small portable electric fixtures have been produced which may be readily carried about and suspended or supported in various ways so as to afford a wide range of utility, and it is the purpose of this invention to provide an improved fixture or lamp of this character.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a portable lighting fixture which may be mounted or suspended in a variety of different ways; to provide a fixture of this character with a base having arms which may be utilized as hangers ii'or supporting the lamp; to provide a fixture of this character with a base affording a convenient support enabling the lamp to be used as a stand or table lamp and at the same time enhancing the appearance of the lamp; to provide such a fixture with a stem forming a part of or extending laterally from the base so as to serve as a handle for carrying the fixture; to provide a counterweight on the lamp cord which is connected with the fixture, so that the fixture may be suspended by merely engaging the cord over a support intermediate of the fixture and counter-weight; to distribute the weight of the fixture so as to hold same substantially. upright when suspended; to providean improved shade holder having the shade detachably mounted thereon in a convenient manner; to provide a shade holder whereby the shade is adapted to be adjusted in a universal manner around the lamp; to provide Serial No. 339,827.

a shade holder which is pivotally secured on the lamp socket by means of the lamp;

and in general, to provide an improved fixture oi the handy lamp type of simpleform, inexpensive construction, and adapted to have a wide range of utility.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of a fixture embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the fixture suspended by its lamp cord;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the lamp socket and shade holder mounted thereon, the latter being in section on the line 33 of Fig. l;

V Fig. is a side view of another form of fixture constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 5 is a perspective view of said fixture suspended by its lamp cord; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the socket and the shade mounted thereon.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates a tubular stem which is connected at its lower end to a casting 2 having a pair of curved arms, and which together with the stem 1, constitutes an anchor-shaped base for the lamp. A socket 8 is secured by means of a nipple i, to the lower end of the stem 1, at the juncture of the latter with the casting 2, and a lamp cord 5 extends downwardly through the stem 1,. and is connected with the socket 8 in the usual manner to supply current to the lamp 6, which is mounted in the socket. The stem 1 is preferably provided with a loop 7, hinged or pivoted to the upper end thereof, as at 8, whereby the fixture may be suspended, and the casting 2 is provided with a number of bumpers 9 on the back thereof, to prevent marring of any surface against which it is engaged.

The cord 5 has the usual attachment plug 10 at the opposite end thereof, from the fixture, and a counterweight 11 is slidably mounted on the cord 5 between the fixture and attachment plug, said counterweight being of suitable weight to counterbalance the fixture when the latter is suspended over a support in the manner shown in Fig. 2. This counterweight may be of any suitable construction, and attached to the cord 5 in any desired. manner, a convenient form being shown herein, consisting of a somewhat elongated plate having apertures 12 near the ends thereof through which the cord is passed, as shown in the drawings, so that the counterweight remains in the position to which it is adjusted along the cord 5 by reason of the double bend formed in the cord where the latter is passed back and forth through the apertures 12. The lamp cord 5 may be any form of twin conductor suitable for this purpose, having the usual rubber and braid coverings, and the portion thereof between the fixture and counterweight 11 serves as a flexible hanger with conductors therein leading from the lamp socket to the counterweight, and in the illustrated form of the invention these conductors are continued beyond the counterweight with the same form of cover as between the fixture and counterweight. Obviously however, the entire cord 5 or the portion thereof between the counterweight and fixture may be further reinforced if desired, by providing an additional covering of braid or other fabric, if required, to afford a more substantial hanger to carry the weight of the fixture and counterweight.

In the type of fixture shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the socket projects laterally from the stem 1 and has a round bulb lamp 6 with a shade mounted on the socket foradjustmentto various positions with reference to the lamp 6. This shade comprises a disk 13, of somewhat flexible material, which is detachably mounted on a shade holder indicated as a whole at 14, said shade holder being detachably mounted on the lamp socket. This shade holder comprises a spring strip 15 which is bent in a circular form, as shown at Fig. 3, and has the ends pivoted at 16 on opposite sides of a fibre ring 17 which latter is of suitable size to telescope onto the outer end of the socket 3 and be held thereon against the socket bead 18, by the lamp 6 when the latter is screwed into the socket. Another spring strip 19, of a substantially semi-circular form, is mounted inside the spring strip 15 and has the ends pivoted to the latter strip at substantially diametrically opposite points, as indicated at 20, so that the inner strip 19 may be swung out from under the strip 15, as shown by the dotted lines at 21 in Fig. 1.

The disk 13 is mounted in the shade holder 14- by inserting same against the inner side of the strip 15 when the inner strip 19 is swung outwardly, and after the disk 13 is placed in position, the strip 19 is swung in under the strip 15 so as to clamp the disk 13 therebetween.

The pivotal connection of the strip 15 with the ring 17 permits the shade to be swung on the pivots 16, over the lamp to various positions, to reflect the light in the desired manner, the expansive tension of the spring strip 15 on the pivots 16 affording suificient friction to hold the shade in any position to which it is adjusted, and the ring 17 engages the end of the socket 3 so that said ring, together with the shade, may be turned around the lamp, thereby affording a universal adjustment of the shade.

The fixture shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is somewhat similar to that just described, and comprises the stem 22 with a ring 23 pivoted to the upper end, and a base 2 1 at the lower end of the stem of suiiicient weight to hold the fixture upright when suspended by the ring 23 or lamp cord 28.

A nipple 25 extends laterally from the center of the base 2% and has a knob 26 at the outer end with a socket 27 secured thereto and extending upwardly, parallel with the stem A lamp cord 28 extends down through the stem 22 and out through the nipple 25, and is connected with the socket 27 in the usual manner to supply current to the lamp 29 mounted therein.

In the present type of fixture, the cord 28 is covered for a portion of its distance from the ring 23, with a flat ornamental covering 30 of braid or the like, which is secured at one end to the ring 23, and there is an attachment plug 31 at the free end of the cord and a counterweight 3L, slidable on the cord 23 intermediate of its ends.

The lamp shade comprises the disk 40, which is clamped between the outer and inner spring strips 33 and respectively, the former having the ends pivoted at 35 to the upper end of an arm 36, the lower end of which is secured to a fibre ring 37, similar to and secured on the socks 27 in the same manner as the fibre ring 17 in the first three figures of the drawings. The strip 34 has one end riveted or otherwise secured to the outer strip 33 as indicated at 38, and the other end is provided with lips 39 slidably embracing the strip 33 so that the strip may be contracted and expanded to hold the disk 40 between the strips 33 and 34 by sliding the end 39 of the strip 34 along the strip 33.

This shade, like the one shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is universally adjustable around the lamp 29 and is adapted to accon'nnodate an elongated form of lamp bulb. Obviously, a shade holder similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be employed by forming the strip 15 with asemi-circular top portion and a pair of downwardly converging arms so as to conform to the shape of the long bulb lamp, and connected at their lower ends to the fibre ring as in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that both of the lamp structures described may be suspended by the ring at the end of the stem, or by hanging the lamp cord over a support, a shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the weight 11 or 32 counterbalances the lamp fixture, or the fixture may rest fiat upon its base 2 or 24, or may be used in a variety of other ways, said fixture serving to afford a very convenient portable handy lamp having a wide range of utility.

Moreover, the shade of either lamp is universally adjustable so that in any manner that the lamp is used the light may be reflected in any direction.

While I have shown and described my invention in a certain form, I am aware that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing lrom the principles of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a stem having a flexible hanger connected to one end thereof, a lamp socket disposed laterally at the other end of the stem, and a weight at the latter end of the stem tor counter-balancing the lamp socket so as to hold the stem in a substantially upright position when the fixture is supported by the a resaid flexible hanger, said hanger containing a pair of electrical conductors which are led through the stem and connected to the socket and provided with an attachment plug at the outer ends.

In a lighting fixture, the combination of a stem having a flexible hanger at one end and a base at the other end co-acting with the stem, to ali'ord a supporting base for the fixture, a socket mounted at one side of the stem adjacent the base and counterbalanced by said base so as to hold the fixture with. the stem in a substantially upright position when suspended by the flexible hanger, a counterweight on the hanger at a distance from the stem 'lor counterbalancing the combined stem base and socket, and an extension cord comprising a pair of electrical couditictors leading from the counterweight and having an attachment plug at the end.

3. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a stem having a pair of curved arms at the lower end, and a ring at the upper end of the stem for optionally supporting the fixture, a lamp socket extending laterally from the stem adjacent the lower end, and a lamp cord extending down through the stem for supplying current to the socket.

4;. The combination of a lighting fixture, comprising a base with a lamp socket mounted thereon, said base being provided with a supporting tace ada ted to rest on a hori zontal surface and ho d the socket at an eleration thereabove, a flexible hanger extending from the fixture and comprising an electrical conductor having an attachment plug at the end, and a weight slidably mounted on the flexible hanger so as to counterbalance the fixture when the portion of the flexible hanger intermediate of the weight and base is engaged over a support.

5. In a fixture of the class described, the combination of a lamp socket and a shade holder mounted on the lamp socket and comprising a pair of elongated members connected together at longitudinally spaced points 1 and relatively adjustable for receiving and clamping a shade therebetwecn.

6. In a fixture of the class described, the combination of a lamp socket, a lamp therefor, a ring detachably clamped onto the outer end of the socket by cngagementof a lamp therewith, and a shade holder pivotally mounted on the ring and comprising a pair of flexible elongated springs connected together at longitudinally spaced points so as to extend side by side and hold a shade therebetween. I

T. In a device of the class described, the combination oil an elongated flexible member having a lighting fixture thereon and a counterweight or substantially the same weight as the fixture adjustably attached to the member at a distance from the fixture so as to counterbalance the latter when the portion of the flexible member between the fixture and counterweight is hung over a support, and electrical conductors leading from the fixture to the counterweight and having portions extending beyond the counterweight so that the outer ends thereof may be attached at various elevations without afi'ecting the counterbalanced position of the fixture and counterweight and the portion of the flexible member therebetween.

8. The combination of a portable lighting fixture, a counterweight, a flexible hanger extending between and attached to the ture and counterweight so that the fixture may be optionally suspended by the hanger on various supports, the counterweight being :Erictionally connected to the hanger, an electrical conductor extending from the fixture through the hanger and beyond the counterweight, and having an attachment plug at the outer end for detachable connection with an electric socket.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of an elongated flexible member formii'ig a hanger and having a lighting fixture thereon and a counterweight of substantially the same weight as the fixture adjustably attached'to the end of the hanger part of the member at a distance from the fixture so as to counterbalance the latter when the portion of the flexible member between the fixture and counterweight is hung over a support, and electrical conductors leading from the fixture to the counter weight and having portions extending beyond the counterweight so that the outer ends thereof may be attached at various elevations Without affecting the counterbalanced position of the fixture and counterweight and the portion of the flexible member therebetween.

10. The combination of a portable lighting fixture, a counterweight, a flexible member extending between and attached to the fixture and counterweight so that the fixture may be optionally suspended by the member on various Objects, the counterweight. being slidably adjustable On the member, and 3 pair of electrical conductors connected with the fixture and leading through the flexible member to the counterweight and therebeyond and having an attachment plug at the outer extremities thereof for detachable connection with an electric socket.

THEODORE J. NELSON. 

